A municipal councilor in the southern Bulgarian city of Plovdiv has called for the expansion of the Roma residential district "Stolipinovo. Photo by BGNES

A municipal councilor in the southern Bulgarian city of Plovdiv has called for the expansion of the Roma residential district "Stolipinovo."

Anton Karagyzov, municipal councilor from the ethnic Turkish partyMovement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) and head of the Roma foundation, has requested the expansion of the Stolipinovo residential district by at least 40 decares.

Karagyozov, as cited by Darik radio, explained Tuesday that over 500 000 people lived on a territory of 630 decares, calling the situation "inadmissible."

"There are apartments in which three generations live together," he noted, adding that Stolipinovo was so densely built-up that no further construction activity could take place.

The municipal councilor said that talks had already taken place with Plovdiv Mayor Ivan Totev who had ordered several properties in the region to be examined

The announcement took Branimir Ivanov, municipal councilor in Plovdiv from DPS, by surprise.

"I do not know what expansion you are talking about, my colleague probably wanted to say that we need new housing, but I cannot comment," he said.

Deputy Plovdiv Mayor Dimitar Katsarski was also surprised by the news about the proposed expansion of the Roma district.

"We are currently developing a new housing policy which envisages the construction of new social housing but I have heard nothing about expansion," Katsarski commented.